Heatee control



Dec. 1 I y1925.

R. H. SHADRICK HEATER CONTROL 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ag. 26

Dec. 1, 1925.

R. H. SHADRICK HEATER CONTROL" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26 1924 ffyPATENT orrica.

RICHARD H. BEADBICX, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

HEATER CONTROL.

application nica august 26, 1924. serial No. 734,180.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARDH.' SHAD- RICK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, resid-` ing at Minneapolis, in the'county of Hen `nepin andState of Minnesota, have invented 4certain new and useful Improvementsin Heater Controls,'of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates primarily to means for lightin and extinguishingheaters or burners suc kas are commonly used in water heating systems,and the main object is to provide an apparatus, of a novel and practicalconstruction', in which such heater may be-"controlled, i. e., lightedand yextinguished, from `one or more points, hereinafter termedtstations, and wherebysaid heater, after bein lighted, 'will beautomatically shut o or extinguished when a predetermined amount ofwater has been heated. Thus, should the operator, after having lightedthe heater, go away and forget to turn it off manually, he need have nofear of the consequences, as the device will automatically shut itselfolf, and can# notagain be re-lighted until a manual release has irstbeen el'ected. A number of other objects and purposes of the inventionare also herein disclosed and will be fully described in the course ofthe .following specification.

The device inv question is one which 1s particularly ada ted for use inconnection with the water eating systems which are so commonly used inprivate dwellings and homes where a limited amount of hot water isdesired at irregular intervals during the day, and although it may nodoubt be adapted for use in other situations and places I have forurpose of illustration onl shown it for this one purpose where it isound especially desirable and practical.

I am aware of the lar e number of atents and devices which have eenperfecte or designed heretofore, and which have for their i j object torovide means controlled. from a distant point to regulate burners andheaters of hot water systems. These devices are for the mostl part ofthe instantaneous or stora e system rinciple, and are either electrica yor hydriostatically controlled. The chief objections to all of l'thesedevices that have come 'tomy attention are,that

-. `they are ordinarily 'too expensive to manufacture, are toocomplicated and difficult to install, are impractical and requireconstant care and attention. Some are too expensive in their gasconsumption to maintain and others are unsafe and not trust worthyenough to convince the average home owner that they have suilicientmerit to warrant the cost of lpurchase and installation.

These and a'lare number of other objections to presentaccompanyingdrawings, as follows:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the major ortion of the water heating systemto w ich my device is connected, and illustrates in sectional elevationthe parts of a house in which the hook-up, is arranged.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail View through one of my improvedoperating stations.

Fig.v 3 is an enlarged view of the attachment proper, sectional portionsbeing broken away for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a detail section as seen on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3. f

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5-5 in Fig, 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation substantially similar to Fig. 5, butshowing the operating arm up and the valve o en.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the housing, as shown in Fig. 3 but withthe diaphragm chamber expanded to release the valve opener.

Referring to the drawings more ularly and by referencecharactersarticdesignates a water tank which is connected up in a well knownYmanner with the coil B of a i heater C by means of pipesD and E. Theheater is provided with the usual burner F which is provided with gas bya pipe G. H designates the artition or wall of a first floor, such as akitchen, while I designates the wall or partition of a sec'ond floorroom such as a Hath room. The sinks and other fixtures (not shown) insuch rooms, to which hot water is conducted, are connected by suitablepipes withthe hot watersystem, I

. provided as at J, while the cold water supply ipe to the hot watersystem is designate as K. The arrangement of parts A to K, inclusive, isof common and well known construction.

At a convenient and suitable place in the pipe G I place or insert avalve L to control the flowof gas in the pipe G to the burner F. Thisvalve, as will later be described, is associated with a lever arm 8 insuch a manner that when the arm 8 is in its lower position, as shown'inFi s. 3 and` 5, the valve will be closed, while i the arm is in itsraised position, as in Figs. 1 andy 6, the valve is open, although thevalve may also be closed when the arm is raised, as indicated in Fig. 7.The arm 8 is normally and yieldingly held down by a suitable weight orother resistance 9, and is raised to its upper position by a chain orany other flexible or suitable medium 10. Ifthe arm 8 is to be operatedfrom only one station, as may bedesired especially in one storydwellings, the chain 10 may go directly to the station. Where twostations are provided, however as shown in Fig. 1, thechain 10 is with amovable pulley 11, under which is passed a second chain 12, the ends ofwhich are respectively actuated at the two stations designated as M andN. The endsI of the chain 12 are provided with rings or loops 13 and14to prevent the chain from being dropped through the stations, andlthese rings also provide convenient means whereby the chains may bemanually engaged and pulled up. Pulleys 15, may be provided wherevernecessary to carry the chain when the latter runs in differentdirections, as shown. Y

Each of the stations M and N, as shown in Fig. 2, consists of a plate 16adapted to be secured on the wall', and a small cylinder or guide 17 issecured in the late 16, to accommodate the pull chain. is guide 17 isprovided with a in 18 having a rounded end surface whic is frictionallypressed against the chain by a spring 19. The pin is also rovided with alinger piece 2O by which tlie pin may be pulled to release the chain.The ring 19 is stiff enough so that the pin 18 will hold the chain inits pulled up position a ainst the weight of the chain and lthe weig t9, but will yield to a back pull which is slightly greater than thatweight which is always carried. Thus, for instance, in Fig. 1 theposition of the variy ous plarts indicates that the arm 8 and the wei t9 have been lifted b a pull on the ring 13 at the station M an that thechain is retained in that position by the pin 18 of that station. TheYpulled end of the chain indicates to the operator that the burner ofthe heater is lighted. Sup osing, however,

that a second person is in t e bath room, at

the station N, and also wantshot water. He

`may not of course knowlthat the burner is chain 10, but will merelypull the chain 12 through the lilley 11 and back through the station M.(gr supposing that the gas valve has been opened' at station M and it isdesired to close it, and extinguish the burner, at station N. In thisevent the operator merely pulls the rinr 14 until the ring 13 stopsagainst the station M, and then pulls the pin 18 of the station N, whichaction permits the weight 9 to lower th arm 8 to its inactive position.It is of course obvious .that when pulling either of the rings 13 or 14to light the heater, the resistance to the pull will be made easier ifthe operator will first lift the friction pin 18 with his other hand,although that is not absolutely necessary.

The valve L which is fitted into the gas pipe G is shown as of thestandard and well nown construction in which the valve plug 21 isyieldingly held in its closed position by a spring 22 and is adapted tobe opened b a stem 23 which slidably projects, through, a suitablepacking joint 24, to the exterior of the valve-bod;7 proper. A smallvalve 25, which is connected with a pilot light 26 (adjacent to the gasburner) by a tube 27, is secured to the valve L and communicates withthe intake side thereof so that it may be kept burning at all times, andthus `be in readiness to light the heater burner whenever the main gasvalve 21 is opened.

Rigidly secured upon the casing or body `of the valve L is a casting 28,having end walls or members 29 and 30, and a partition 31: and a sheetmetal cover 32 is arranged to frictionally engage over the casting so asto inclose and protect the mechanism contained therein.

The mechanism just referred to is shown articularly in Fi s. 3, 5, 6 and7, and may Ee described as fol ows: Slidably journaled inthe members 30and 31 and directly over the valve stem 23 is a shaft 33, in theprojecting or outer end of which is rigidly secured the arm 8. The shaftis also provided with a cam 34, which is normally positioned directlyover the pin 23, and is yieldingly retained in that position by a spring35. A

opened, and, that when thearm 8 is released, from either station, itwill, by reason of the weight 9, return the cam to its `the stein 23down until the gas valve is Y normal position (see Figs. 3 and 5) andallow the stem 23 to be pressed ,up b the spring 22 to close the gasvalve'L, an thus extinguish the burner,

The automatic safety or cut oil device comprises a thermallyresponsiveor expansible diaphragm chamber 37 which communicates with a container38 through a hollow flexible wire or conductor 39. The back of thecontainer 38 is slightly curved so that it will form as complete acontact with the tank A as possible, and the receptacle is adjustablysecuredy upon the tank by any suitable means such as a' spring 40,

- a pair of lugs 41 being provided on the container to keep it inengagement under the spring. The tube 39 is preferably flexible so thatit can be readily bent around pipes or other obstructions which may bein the way, and thus also ermits the'receptacle 38 to be moved around3or up and downen the tank, as may be desired. The diaphragm 33 isadjustably secured to the end wall 29, by a nut or other suitable means42, which acts as a lock nut to lock the sleeve 43, of the diaphragm,which is screwed into the wall 29, so that an adjustment may bemechanically effected between the diaphragmand the inner end of theshaft 33. The space which is sealed and confined by the hollow meme bers37, 43, 39 and 38 is filled or partly filled with a highly volatile orexpansible liquid 44, such as ether, which is filled into the thermallyresponsive system through a ythreaded hole in the receptacle 38 closedby a plug or threaded stopper 45. When in normal or idle condition, thediaphragm 37 is contracted and preferably spaced slightly from the innerend of the shaft 33, as s own in Fig. 3, but, when the receptacle 38becomes heated (by the hot water in the tank A) so as to cause theliquid therein to expand, it can only do so by expanding or extendingthe diaphragm, and t is has the effect of pressing the shaft 33'outwardly, against the tension of the spring 35, until the cam 34 movespast and allows the valve stem' 23 to move up (by the spring 22) andclose the valve21, and thus extinguish the burner.

' The use and operation of the device may 'be briefly set forth asfollows:

-With thevarious parts in their normal or inactive position, as shown inFig. 3, the operator pulls either of the rings 13 or 14 to raise the arm8, a suitable pin or stop 46 being provided. to limit the motion.

' This actuates the cam 34 against the stem `the heater C 23 to o en thegas valve L and light the burner Y?, as reviously described. Withctioningk a circulation of water is effected up through the coil B andaroundthrough the members D, A and E. If warm or hot ,water is wanted ina short time it can be drawn olf through the pipe J, almost directlyfrom the heater. If itis not drawn as heated, however, the warm or hotwater will begin to store up in the tank A, and as the cold water in thetank is circulated out'through the piple E, to be replaced by theincoming ot water the temperature of the outer surface of the upperportion of the tank will be raised, and as the volume of the hot waterin the tank increases and that of the cold water decreases this hot orwarm area of t-he tank increases and moves downwardly toward thereceptacle 38. Now, unless hot water is drawn olii', or unlessthe heateris manually shut off from one of the stations M or N, the receptacle 38being in close contact ,with the tank A will, when a predetermined.amount of water has been heated, also become warm, and as thetemperature ofthe fluid is raised it ex ands the diaphragm, aspreviously statec, and as the cam 34 is slipped off of the valve stem itallows the valve L to close instantly, anddoes not shut it off graduallyas the temperature of a thermally responsive element luctuates. When theburner has thus been extinguished it will follow that as no more hotwater will be introduced into the tank the temperature linewillrimmediately start to rise on the tank, by reason of the cooling ofthe water, and the diaphragmv will slowly recede away from the shaft. Ifhot water is drawn from the tank so as to quickly cool it, it is obviousthat the contraction of the diaphragm will be hastened, although it isquite immaterial whether the contraction is rapid or not.

As the cam ,34 is now pressed against the side ofthe valve ystem bythe sring 35 (Fig. 7) it is obvious that the sha t 33 cannot be returned toits normal position until the arm 8 has irst been manually released,from one of the stations, so as to raise lthe cam, as shown in Fi 3. Ifany attempt is made to light the heater, when the tank has its limit ofhot water, it would of course be ineffective as the cam 34 would not bein an operative position with respect to the valve stem even if theoperating arm 8 was released. As the hollow wire 39 is flexiblyconstructed and the receptacle 38 is ,adjustably secured to the tank bthe spring 40 it will be seen that the cut o level of the water may bereadily adjusted without tools or instruments, and in but a momentstime. It may also be stated that the manual operating mechanism of theas valve may be utilized without the cut o device, if so desired, buttoinsure the water system against any danger due to overheating and `toafford means for economizing in gas it isobvious that the cut olffeature is a very important and valuable-part of the device.

It is `understood that various suitable modifications ma be made in theeneral design, structura details and met od of installation, provided,however, that such modifications come within the spirit and scope of thea pended claimsD Having now therefore ful y shown and described myinvention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by LettersPatent is:

1. The combination with a hot Water heating system havin a gas burner,of a.

normally closed gas va ve, a manually actua- Y ble device including acam co-operating with the valve for opening the same, and thermallyresponsive means associated with said device to disengage the cam fromthe valve when the latter is in an open position.

2. In a device of the character described, aA yieldingly closed valvehaving a valve stem, a member slidably journaled adjacent to the valveand having a cam adapted to actuate said valve stem, when the member isturned, to open the valve, and means for moving the memberlongitudinally to dislodge the cam from the valve stem to permit thevalve to close.

3. The combination with a normally spring closed valve, of a manuallyoperable valve having a projecting valve stem, a cam shaft slidablyjournaled near the end of the valve stem and having a cam adapted to actagainst the same to open the valve, means for yieldingly holding saidshaft with the cam in an inactive position, and means for rotating theshaft whereby the cam will actuate the stem to open thevalve.

6. The combination of a spring closed valve having a projecting valvestem, a cam shaft slidably jounnaled near the end of the valve stem andhaving a cam adapted to act against the same to open the valve, meansfor yieldingly holding said shaft with the cam in an inactive position,means for rotating the shaft whereby the cam will actuate the stem toopen the valve, and means to move the shaft longitudinally to disengagethe cam from the valve stern to effect .closing of the valve.

7. The combination with a spring closed valve having a valve stemprojecting there` from, of a cam arranged, when in an initial position,to act against the valve stem to open the valve, means to laterallydisengage the cam from the valve stem to effect closing of the valve,and means adapted to restore the cam to its initial position.

8. The combination with a valve having a, valve stem, of a cam normallyarranged in alignment with the valve stem to act thereagainst to openthe valve, means for laterally disengaging the cam from the stem, andmeans resisting themovement of said disengaging means to restore the camto its original position in alignment with the valve stem.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RICHARD H. SHADRICK.

